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Owls earn much-needed wins
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Lynbrook's Ryan Clark goes up for two of his 16 points in a Conference ABC-II loss to visiting Valley Stream South on Jan. 23.
Jeff Wilson/Herald
After knocking on the door for quite some time, Lynbrook’s boys’ basketball team finally kicked it down—twice.
Last Friday’s 58-57 Conference ABC-II victory on the road against defending Nassau Class A champion Roslyn was the second in three games for the Owls, who lost their first four. Seniors Mike Patick (19), Ryan Clark (15) and Tom DeNapoli (12) all scored in double figures for Lynbrook, which led by as many in the fourth quarter but had to rally for the win.
“We were close in so many games earlier in the season, it’s nice to get over the hump,” Owls coach Chris Rube said. “Given the level of competition we’re facing,
our margin for error isn’t great. The kids have hung in well.”
Clark’s layup with 1:20 remaining held up as the game-winning basket against the Bulldogs, who got 22 points from Jordan Richman. “We missed two one-and-ones in the last minute,” Rube said. “Thankfully, it didn’t cost us.
“Between Patick, Clark and DeNapoli, we need two to score well to be successful,” he added. “When all three do it, we’re really tough.”
Ten days earlier the Owls (2-5 in conference play, 3-11 overall) picked up their first conference victory against previously undefeated Manhasset, 52-37. Patick hit for 17, junior Kendall Bruton added 11 and DeNapoli had 10. “Mike has been our most consistent player on offense,” Rube said of Patick, who scored a season-high 26 in an overtime loss to Floral Park on Jan. 13. “He’s coming on strong at the perfect time.”
Despite the team’s struggles its main goal hasn’t changed, Rube said. “We want to win a playoff game,” he said. “I knew moving up from Conference III to II meant we probably weren’t going to win as many games as last season, but I didn’t realize what a big jump
it is.
“We didn’t come around as quickly as I thought, but the kids understood they were right there,” he added. “Every conference game we’ve lost has been by single digits. I kept telling them it was going to click at some point.”
While Lynbrook’s offense is spotty, the defensive effort has been a constant all season according to the coach. Senior Kevin Alonge has been a key on the defensive side and junior Peter Lecce is providing a spark off the bench. “We’ve stayed in games because of defense,” Rube said. “The offense has struggled. We haven’t shot too well from the outside and we haven’t gotten as many points from our press.”
Thanks to the eventual Conference ABC-V and VI champions failing to meet a certain win criteria to qualify for the Class A playoffs, the Owls already have a spot sewn up. They have trips to Malverne, Jericho and Manhasset remaining to prepare for whatever the postseason might bring.
“It would be nice if we could ride a wave into the playoffs,” Rube said.
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